The mother of a victim of last year's Sandy Hook shootings has replaced Barack Obama to deliver the weekly US presidential radio address.

Francine Wheeler, whose six-year-old son Ben was killed, used the nationally-broadcast statement to call for tighter gun controls.

Asking a citizen to deliver the weekly address is a highly unusual move.

It comes as President Obama attempts to ratchet up pressure on the US Congress, which is due to debate new gun laws.

In an often emotional statement, Ms Wheeler recalled waiting for her son to return home following the shootings, and said the "tidal wave of anguish" resulting from that day had yet to recede.

She said new gun laws were needed to prevent more deaths.

"We have to convince the Senate to come together and pass commonsense gun responsibility reforms that will make our communities safer and prevent more tragedies like the one we never thought would happen to us," she said.

Ms Wheeler's son Ben was killed along with 19 other children and six staff when 20-year-old Adam Lanza opened fire at his elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

The address was broadcast on radio and released as a video online.

This week senators are due to debate new laws that will extend background checks to gun sales made at gun shows and over the internet.

The measures are the result of a bipartisan deal struck between Republican and Democrat senators last week.

I can’t imagine what they will continue to endure the rest of their lives. I would be a basket case. However, I cannot forgive them for insisting that my children be left without protection just because theirs were.

Dear Ms Wheeler,
Unless you have a law that makes it illegal to blow your mothers head off before stealing her legal guns and then going out and murdering 20 kids and six staff people, then this Senate law will do nothing.
Oh wait, it’s already illegal to murder your mother...
nevermind
I can not believe how this administration “whores” victims to pander to sympathies to push thier horrible agenda.
Joe Goebbels is smiling somewhere
Freegard
LEX

Has anyone actually listened to a radio statin that actually carries the presidential weekly radio address? It seems like one of those things I heard about than something I’ve actually listened to live.

13
posted on 04/13/2013 10:01:10 AM PDT
by garbanzo
(Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here every day)

I heard a rumor that the libs have an auto tune device implanted in them and they automatically hear the master puppeteer speak. Kind of like those that pick up radio stations through their fillings. Very painful for the un-initiated I’m sure. “Hello Eloi. This is the master Morlock speaking to you directly from my teleprompter. Everything you say and do WILL be used against you in a court.” (Not necessarily a court of law either.)

20
posted on 04/13/2013 10:09:28 AM PDT
by rktman
(BACKGROUND CHECKS? YOU FIRST MR. PRESIDENT!(not that we'd get the truth!))

I am surprised the White House didn’t obtain her kid’s blood stained shirt to use as an additional prop. I feel sorry for the horrific loss this woman experienced, but NOTHING in the proposed gun laws would have prevented the psycho Adam Lanza from doing what he did. To address the problems of the recent mass shooting we need better mental health laws not more gun laws.

The RATS never overlook a chance for a political victory after a disaster. To use this poor unfortunate woman at her time of grief, as a political shill is disgusting. Truth is if someone had been armed in that school maybe her little boy would still be alive.

I pity this poor woman and her Family and I pray they can find peace...

That being said, she is in complete denial about the cause of her Child’s death. There is only one responsible person, and that was the Criminal who planned and executed this heinous crime. It was his decision to use a Firearm, and trying to blame Law Abiding Citizens because pure Evil exists in the World is ludicrous.

She has made the transition from grieving Mother to Useful Idiot with this stunt, orchestrated by a Man who Voted for legalized Infanticide when he was an Illinois State Senator.

We live in a Country where the majority of formerly “responsible” Citizens have lost the ability of Critical Thought. If the poor Child was run over in the School Crosswalk by a crazed Murderer, would this Woman be giving the weekly Presidential Address stressing the need for Automobile Control?

"Has anyone actually listened to a radio statin that actually carries the presidential weekly radio address? It seems like one of those things I heard about than something Ive actually listened to live."

I listen to Car Talk on NPR every Saturday (while I'm doing my Saturday AM car chores) and I've never heard one, so I'm not sure that even NPR carries it.

The percentage of families that are allowing themselves to be used as a backdrop for Obama here is roughly the same as the proportion of Connecticut voters registered as Democrats. I would be surprised if Adam Lanza had much to do with their stance. I feel bad for them, but the failure is on the part of Connecticut's liberal government to keep their children safe from psychotic killers, not the Second Amendment.

31
posted on 04/13/2013 10:53:05 AM PDT
by Sooth2222
("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)

You can’t compare adults dying to children dying. Come on even you can see the difference. These parents of the kids who died are still grieving. I can’t imagine what that is like and hopefully never will. You have NO IDEA what you would do or say in this position. I don’t agree with changing guns laws because it will do nothing but these parents of dead 6 years olds should be shown some respect.

37
posted on 04/13/2013 11:06:34 AM PDT
by napscoordinator
(Santorum-Bachmann 2016 for the future of the Country!)

If I never bury a child, I will be so thankful. We can stand to hear this woman go through the grieving process. I really think this is not a problem. The House is not going to pass any real gun laws anyway. Let this woman do something to get her mind of her dead child.

40
posted on 04/13/2013 11:09:24 AM PDT
by napscoordinator
(Santorum-Bachmann 2016 for the future of the Country!)

Of course no one ever listens to the weekly radio address. But I've already seen one replayed segment, where our celebrated victim actually said, since her child had been killed, in America already "thousands had died from gun violence."

Naturally, no one on that side of the camera had the chops to say "bullsh*t."

I can’t understand why the public servants just don’t pass one of their “laws” making it illegal for lunatics to go into a school and shoot people. To hell with violating the Second Amendment rights of Americans, let’s start with a “law” banning “massacres”. Geez. This isn’t rocket science.

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